Written by: Mentoring Committee Marketing and Communication Team (McMc)
A Big Thank You to all the volunteers who have dedicated their time and effort for the Mentoring Committee (MC) this past year! The MC sponsored a mentoring volunteer appreciation dinner at the 2024 NORDP Conference in Bellevue, WA, where 17 members were able to participate. In fact, the MC group photo was this year’s photo contest winner — many thanks to Hilda McMackin for instigating the photo-opp.
At the MC Lightning Storm, eight speakers shared a wide range of mentoring experiences, highlighting lessons learned about being a mentor or a mentee from thought-provoking perspectives and contexts. For example, Samarpita Sengupta presented her personal RD journey sharing unique challenges from an immigrant’s perspective and highlighted lessons learned for mentors with immigrant mentees; Kelsey Hassevoort shared how she developed her mentor network using informational interviews. Rounding out the speakers of the MC LIghting Storm are: Monica Castañeda-Kessel. Sonya Craig, Joanna Downer, David Hopfe, Hilda McMackin, and Sarah Robertson, with Hilda, David, and Elizabeth Lathrop as the moderators.
The conference breakfast on Monday 4/29 was a great time to connect with NORDP committee members and hear about the work done by the MC committee. The MC breakfast table was packed with conference attendees eager to learn how to join the committee sessions, events, and programs, and to meet the more experienced mentoring “veterans.” The committee members rose to the occasion and showed up early, ready to share experiences and advice. The extra chairs pulled from nearby tables to accommodate everyone joining the conversation were a great testimony to the committee’s hard work and dedication to communication, openness, and pure awesomeness!
The conversation in front of the MC poster during the Tuesday Poster Session was as lively as the breakfast talk from the previous day. Supported by visuals via the MC evergreen poster, we were able to recruit at least a dozen mentoring volunteers and new mentors/mentees. A heartfelt thank you to Jan Abramson who made mentoring buttons and provided a large box of chocolate truffles. She sent them via snail mail since she was unable to attend #NORDP2024. The chocolate treats definitely helped attract the crowd’s attention and interest.
Finally, we are so excited that MC co-cair Elizabeth Lathrop was recognized with a 2024 Rising Star Award during the Awards Ceremony. [Insert picture from photographer] We are so proud of everything you have done to lift the Mentoring Committee, Elizabeth! In addition, Mentor Training Team lead Paula Carney was also awarded the Mentoring Award along with Tisha Mullen this year – Congratulations!
The MC is looking forward to a new enriching mentoring season!
Inspired? You can learn more about MC committee work by reaching out to mentorprogram@nordp.org
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